Mattie Parker on Intersections Podcast

Kevin, Evan and Joe Hoyt break down [1:08] the Cowboys “fiasco,” and another Jerry Jones circus that included more word salad from the owner. After all of the chatter about the mystery trade, Joe suggests the deal for Logan Wilson of Cincinnati was a good move. [22:45] The guys spend a few minutes breaking down the bad optics of departures of long-time Rangers fixtures such as Mike Maddux and Tony Beasley. And then, the wearer of many hats, Lia Assimakopoulos joins [30:58] to try to make sense of the Mavs’ diabolical plan to imprison the Stars before switching over to the significance of SMU’s win over Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers have been deputized as federal immigration officers under two agreements the agency entered into with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month. The agreements between DPS and ICE, known as a 287(g) contract, empowers some troopers with the state’s largest law enforcement agency to arrest individuals they believe are in the country without proper legal status. in other news,  to help make up for the loss of federal SNAP benefits, the Dallas County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted unanimously to grant $1 million to the North Texas Food Bank’s food distribution efforts during the shutdown; Dallas-based developer Harwood International sold four office towers and took a $100 million loan in recent months, while the firm continues to battle with construction delays and additional foreclosures; nd the Dallas Cowboys have agreed to their second trade on NFL trade deadline day. The Cowboys are acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the Jets in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker talks about how she leads in local politics, challenges with public transportation, her approach to public safety and the Fort Worth ISD takeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two Dallas City Council committees will hold a joint meeting Thursday to discuss a proposal that would authorize city police officers to help enforce federal immigration laws. The city’s public safety and government efficiency committees are scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. in the council chambers at City Hall. In other news, a North Texas high school marching band will be on the road this Thanksgiving, heading instead to New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The Blue Raider Band, from L.D. Bell High School in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District, will perform during the annual showcase event, which draws millions of viewers; the NHL announced on Monday that the Dallas Stars will host another outdoor game on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027, at AT&T Stadium as part of the league’s Stadium Series; and if you are looking for a ride on Election Day, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Trinity Metro have North Texans covered, and it’s free. DART will offer free rides to polling locations within the service area today. DART buses, trains, Silver Line, GoLink, the Dallas Streetcar, Paratransit Services and the TRE between EBJ Union Station and CentrePort/DFW Airport Station will all be available to riders free of charge. Riders will need to show a valid voter registration card to ride for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Preparing to run for a historic fourth term, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has fortified his campaign staff, trained a legion of volunteers and amassed close to $100 million in his war chest, a figure that will grow substantially between now and the November 2026 general election. In other news, two Dallas City Council members are hosting a listening session Monday to gather input from residents on the future of City Hall. The meeting comes when the Dallas City Council is debating whether to renovate or demolish City Hall;  the government shutdown has placed food assistance for some 42 million Americans in peril. In Texas, 3.5 million people rely on SNAP. Two federal judges have told the Trump administration that it must partially or fully fund the food benefits, but it is not clear if the president will comply; and as SMU’s south goalpost rested somewhere between University Park and downtown Dallas, the SMU fan base, players and coaching staff relished the extra hour to sleep off a long evening of reverse Boulevarding and partying all across North Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Strange? Defeating? Disappointing? The Dallas Morning News food team has a lot of thoughts, a lot of questions and a few hot takes on the results of the 2025 Texas Michelin Guide. The teams get into the Dallas-Fort Worth's two 1-star Michelin restaurants, Bib Gourmand recipients, Recommended restaurants and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Four companies are laying off more than 400 workers in Dallas-Fort Worth, putting further strain on Texas’ slowing job market as national layoffs also pick up speed. Security firm Job1USA is cutting about 117 employees at six locations in Texas, including 81 in Dallas-Fort Worth. In other news, a second lawsuit has been brought against Celina ISD, accusing school officials of being more concerned about its storied football program than the welfare of students; a pharmaceutical company has initiated a voluntary recall of more than half a million bottles of its blood pressure medication distributed in the U.S., after finding that the bottles contained higher than acceptable levels of a carcinogen; nd a month after a weekslong hearing on the motion to dismiss or to convert Merit Street Media’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Scott Everett converted the case to a Chapter 7 from the bench Tuesday afternoon, saying, “there is no hope for rehabilitation.” He called the case an anomaly and said it came to him in “liquidation mode.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dallas Stars filed a counterclaim late Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks, seeking to “restore normal operations at the American Airlines Center and prevent the Mavericks’ attempted hostile takeover.” In other news, the future of the region’s rapid transit system could take significant hits when city leaders in Plano, Highland Park and Farmers Branch consider ballot measures to withdraw from Dallas Area Rapid Transit; a grocer with a devoted fan base is finally readying a spot in a growing North Texas city. Trader Joe’s is planning to open a store in the city of Frisco, according to the company. The small-format grocer did not disclose a location and timeline for the store; The 2025 Michelin Guide Texas included 140 restaurants, only adding 30 to 2024’s picks and removing none. Over the past year, the French company anonymously visited, then rated restaurants in five Texas cities and surrounding areas for the influential Michelin Guide. Dallas now has 2 restaurants with one Michelin star, double what it had last year. After being open for less than two months, Mamani received the 1-star distinction. Tatsu Dallas kept its star. Dallas added a new Recommended restaurant as well, Sushi Kozy. No new restaurants in Fort Worth were added to the Michelin Guide. Now that the awards have been bestowed, what’s next for restaurants that were recognized? What about those that weren’t included? You can read more at DallasNews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss [00:50] the Cowboys’ loss to the Broncos, which Evan says doesn’t qualify as a disaster because it wasn’t a surprise. Here’s a surprise: If Jerry Jones waves the white flag and trades his most marketable asset, George Pickens. [25:59] The guys give their take. Texas A&M picked up another road win against a ranked team with an impressive performance against LSU, getting the Tigers’ coach fired in the process. [56:05] Can the Aggies win their first national title in nearly 90 years? Shawn McFarland joins the group to discuss that and other college football as well as an 18-inning thriller in Game 3. The question: Is Shohei Ohtani better than Babe Ruth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A yearlong breakdown in the Mavericks and Stars’ relationship came to a head Tuesday morning, when Dallas’ NBA franchise filed suit against the city’s NHL team. The News also reported Tuesday that the Stars are eyeing a $1 billion arena at the Shops at Willow Bend Mall site, a move that could see the hockey franchise leave downtown Dallas for the first time in its history, two people with knowledge of the team’s efforts told The Dallas Morning News. The 107-acre mall property on W. Park Boulevard has emerged as the favorite to land the NHL franchise after discussions with cities including Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth if the team leaves the American Airlines Center after its lease expires in 2031. In other news, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the makers of Tylenol, accusing the companies of failing to warn consumers about risks of taking the drug while pregnant; and Woodrow Wilson High School Principal Chandra Hooper-Barnett will not return to the school, according to a Tuesday letter from Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde to families. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices